Towel-dispenser.



. E. D. MILLER.

TOWEL DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 6, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

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E. D. MILLER.

TOWEL DISPENSER.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 6, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

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ELLIS n. MILLER, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

TOWEL-DISPENSER.

ToaZZ whom it'may concern." 7 7 Be it known that I, ELLIs D. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Towel- Dispensers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to paper towel'dispensers, and has for its object the production of an efficient means whereby one towel is delivered at a time from a pad carried by the device. 7 7 Another object of this invention is the production of an efficient reciprocating means for dispensing a single towel, and means for normally holding the pad carried by the device in engagement with the feeding mechanism. 1

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a front elevation of the dispensing device showing the door in an open position. Fig.2 is a fragmentary transverse section of the device taken above the feeding mech anism. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of the casing showing the feeding mechanism in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44, of Fig. 1 looking in the directionof the arrow.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals it will be seen that the device consists of the casing 1 which is provided with a plurality of sides 2 to which the door 3 is hingedly secured by meansof the hinge members 4. The casing 1 is provided with a movable back 5 which is provided with the ears 6, which carry the rollers 7 The bottom 8 of the casing 1 is provided with the tracks 9 upon which the rollers 7 are adapted to ride. One of the sides 2 is provided with a bracket 10 which acts as a support for the track 11, the similar track 11 being carried by the opposite side 2. The movable back 5 is provided with a pair of ear members 12 which are formed similar to the member 6 and which carry the rollers 13 which are adapted to ride upon the tracks 11. In this manner the back is adapted to be moved back and forth when the device is in operation.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 I Patented N 18, 1913, Application filed December 6, 1912. Serial No. 735,300.

Centrally located upon the movable back 5 1s a pin 14 which is adapted to carry a paper pad of towels 15. In order to hold the pad in a central position upon the back there is provided a plurality of guiding pins 16 forthat purpose. As it is desired to normally urge the movable back 5 toward the front of the casing there are provided a plurality of springs 17 which are attached to the sides of the casing 1 by means of the brackets 18, the opposite ends of the springs being attached to the movable back 5 by means of the clips 19. In this manner it is seen that the paper pad is normally being pulled toward the front of the casing.

For the purpose of feeding the towels from the casing there is provided an operating rod 20 which is provided with the head 21 formed thereon. Adjacent the rod portion 20 there is provided a collar 22 which is adapted to limit the outward movement of the operating rod which is provided with an integral rack portion 23. This rack portion 23 is provided with a depending arm 24: which carries the spring 25, the opposite end of the spring 25 being attached to the bracket 26 carried by the door 3. A supporting arm 27 is carried by the door and on the outer end of thesupporting arm 27 is positioned a'depending bracket 28 which is-provided with the laterally extending finger 29 upon which the rack 23 is adapted to rest. The supporting arm 27 carries a shaft 30, the opposite end of the shaft30 being mounted in the bracket 31. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 30 is a feeding roller 32 which is provided with the band members 33 which may be formed of rubber, felt, or other suitable material.-

One end of the feeding roller 32 is provided with a pawl 34 and is normally held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 35 by 7 means of the spring 36. Integrally formed upon the ratchet wheel 35 there is an auxiliary gear wheel 37 which is adapted to mesh with the'primary gear 38, the primary gear 38 being rotated by means of the rack 23 when the operating rod 20 is pushed .in-

extends above the lower portion of the pad and which acts as a means for guiding the towel through the slot 39 and the member 40.

In order to hold the door in a closed position when so desired there is provided a lock 42 which may bemade of any desirable design which is used for this purpose.

In operating the rod 20 is pushed inwardly wiereby the rack 23 will rotate the primary gear 38 which will in turn rotate the auxiliary gear 37. As this auxiliary gear is formed integral with the ratchet wheel 35, the feeding roller 32 is rotated since the pawl 34 which is carried by the roller 32 engages the ratchet wheel 35. As the feeding roller .32 is rotated the bands 33 will engage the pad 15 and will in this manner force one of the towels carried thereby down through the slot 39 and allowing a portion thereof to protrude therethrough. After this has been accomplished the rack 20 may be released at which time the spring 25 will puillthe same back to its contracted position. The primary gear .of course will rotate the auxiliary gear and ratchet wheel in an opposite direction, but inasmuch as the feeding roller is loosely mounted upon the shaft 30 the pawl 3a carried by the feeding roller will allow the gears to rotate in the opposite direction without turning the feeding roller.

The paper towel which is extending from the slot 39 may then be removed from the casing as the feeding roller 32 will move freely independently of the gears. 4

\Vhen it is desired to place a new pad within the casing the door 3 is opened at which time the movable back 5 is forced back into the casing. When this is accomplished the catches 43 which are provided with the protruding handle portion 44: and the lip 45 are allowed to catch the edge of the movable back 5 for holding the same in the rear portion of the casing 1 while the paper pad is being inserted. The door is then closed and the catches 43 released at which time the pad will be moved up to engage the feeding roller 32.

In this manner it will be seen that a device at a time and with means for holding the V pad in such a position as to allow the mechanism to operate thereon.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, a movable back positioned within said casing, a plurality of track portions carried by said casing, said back provided with a plurality of rollers adapted to ride upon said track portion engage said pad, and reciprocating means carried by said casing and adapted to engage said rotating feeding means for operating the same, said pad normally resting against said feeding means whereby portions of said pad aredispensed from the casing when so desired.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, a movable back carried within said casing, said casing provided with a door upon its front side, rotating feeding mechanism carried by said door, reciprocating means carried by said door and adapted to rotate said feeding mechanism whereby portions of the pad carried by said movable :back may be dispensed from said casing, said feeding mechanism and reciprocating members capable of being swung out upon said door from engagement with said pad whereby a new pad may be placed upon said back when so desired.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a casing, a movable back positioned within said casing, said back adapted to carry a paper pad of towels, a door carried by .the front side of said casing, a supporting arm provided with a depending bracket carried by said door, a shaft carried by said suppo-rtin arm and secondary bracket means, a feeding roller loosely mounted on said shaft, a pawl mounted upon one end of said feeding roller, a ratchet wheel and an auxiliary gear mounted upon said shaft, a primary gear carried by said depending bracket, a rod carried by said door and provided with a rack portion, said rac'k portion adapted to rotate said gears, whereby said feeding roller will be rotated for dispensing a towel from said casing, said rack provided with a depending arm, and a spring carried by said depending arm and said door for normally holding said rod and rack in a contracted position whereby after a towel has been partially dispensed from the casing the same may be entirely removed therefrom without rotating said gears.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in'presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS D. MILLER.

Witnesses:

CHRIS A. MA TIN, H. XV. STALZIEY.

Gppies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

